The management of teachers in formal and informal way is a prominent undertaking of all schools. One obvious way in which organizations manage their employees is through rules and regulations or by applying instruments such as checklists and procedures (Tuijn et al. 2011). However, as not every situation can be regulated, much discretion remains with the street-level bureaucrats. Public organizations try to manage the use of this discretionary power by communicating expectations of appropriate behavior through formal practices such as training programs, internships or mentorships (Oberfield 2014). In the organizational socialization literature these formal practices are labeled institutionalized or formal socialization.

            Successful informal socialization processes of teachers contribute to the organization’s continuity and performance since they stimulate employees to internalize the organizational values, mission, and visions (Wanberg 2012).

            The process of organization socialization includes more than just the formal (institutionalized) practices. The contact with colleagues, which is an important prerequisite for socialization to take place, can also be the result of day-to-day contact with colleagues and work floor experiences instead of just formal practices. These forms of informal socialization are spontaneous in nature and are uncontrolled by the organization’s management.

            Informal socialization of teachers impacts on the outcomes of organizational socialization. Where formal practices lay the groundwork for these outcomes, informal socialization has an important impact on what the socialization outcomes turn out to be.

By: Corskie M. San Jose | Teacher III | ALS